Conventional grinding tools for shaping small pieces of glass usually include a grinding wheel supported rotatably about a fixed axis of rotation, and a table which surrounds the peripheral surface of the grinding wheel to form a planar work surface which is generally perpendicular to the rotational axis of the wheel. Flat, substantially platelike pieces of glass are then placed flat on the table and fed perpendicularly to the grinding wheel while held flat against the planar work surface. In this manner, the edge of the flat piece of glass can be ground to an angle relative to the flat surfaces of the piece of glass, which angle is substantially equal to the angle between the peripheral surface of the grinding wheel and the planar work surface. If the operator uses his or her hands to guide the piece of glass against the grinding wheel, there is a significant danger of cutting the hands, due to the sharp edges of the glass and the somewhat jerky nature of the frictional engagement of the glass and the rotating grinding wheel. Conventional holding pliers may be used to hold the piece of glass, but do not provide any reliable means for the operator to firmly and steadily hold the piece of glass generally parallel to the work surface of the table and against the grinding wheel for the length of time necessary to form a desired edge as can be formed by holding the piece of glass flat against the table while grinding the edge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1 445 908, 4 315 447, and 4 461 193 disclose examples of such conventional holding pliers. Thus, it is desirable to provide a tool which allows the operator to easily, safely and steadily hold the piece of glass generally parallel to the work surface and firmly against the grinding wheel for a sufficient length of time to form the desired edges.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a glass holder tool with which a piece of glass can be steadily and uniformly fed perpendicularly toward a grinding wheel while being held generally parallel to the work table surface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a glass holder tool, as aforesaid, which an operator can easily and comfortably manipulate.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a glass holder tool, as aforesaid, which provides improved safety for the operator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a glass holder tool, as aforesaid, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable and easily maintainable.